Page 20 of The Man with the Violet Eyes

Chapter Five

Prince Balduin

I’d never been in the Heir’s Tower before, but the increased number of guards immediately struck me. I suspected Prince Balduin made their lives very difficult with the way in which he lived his.

We climbed several flights of stairs until we reached a handsome door of polished wood with guards posted either side. Nicolo didn’t even acknowledge the guards as he knocked—clearly Nicolo was above suspicion. He did, however, notice one of the guard’s looking in my direction.

“She’s with me.”

And that was all it took.

“Who is it!” Balduin called from beyond the door.

“Nicolo.”

“Come in.”

We entered and Balduin gave us a cheery good morning from the copper bathtub in which he sprawled by the open fire. To either side of the tub were maids, one of whom I recognized as Elsie, the other I didn’t know. Both had their sleeves rolled up to their elbows and were washing their prince, Elsie scrubbing his back while the other girl’s hand was deep in the water in front of him. I chose not to look too closely at what she might have been doing.

“Good morning, my friend,” smiled Balduin, who had either slept off his hangover or was still drunk.

“Your Highness,” Nicolo bowed and I bobbed a curtsey but then morphed it into a bow because I wasn’t sure what to do.

“A bow is fine,” Nicolo whispered to me.

So, I performed the most definite of bows.

Balduin looked at me and his eyebrows reached for the ceiling as a smirk immediately alighted on his lips. “Pray tell, Nicolo, what in the bloody world is this?” His smile widened until it became a heavy chuckle. “I can’t decide if it be male or female, but it’s dressed for the circus.”

“Charlotte is my new squire,” Nicolo explained and there was something in his eyes that hinted to his irritation. As for myself, I wasn’t annoyed—Balduin was right—I did appear fit for the circus. “Gauthier will need a day to make her more…suitableattire,” Nicolo finished.

Balduin roared with laughter, slapping the water with his hands. “I don’t know what goes on in that most complicated head of yours, my friend, but I must admit this sort of thing certainly does amuse me. Please, allow me to be present when you introduce her to the priests.”

Nicolo didn’t so much as crack a smile. He wore the same stern expression I was starting to believe was his standard. “I doubt they’ll voice any complaints.”

“I’m quite sure they won’t,” laughed Balduin. “They’re more scared of you than their Great God. But, if it’s all the same, I should like to watch their faces when you introduce this new squire of yours to see if I can spot the exact moment when their collective aneurysm pops.” He flicked water into Elsie’s face. “I’m as clean as I’m going to get, girl. Help me out.”

As the other girl, whose name escaped me, held up a towel, Elsie assisted the prince out of the bath.

“You should have come out with me last night, Nicolo. It was a roarer!” said Balduin as the two maids vigorously toweled him dry.

“I did. If you recall,” pointed out Nicolo.

Balduin grinned at him. “Ah, are you mad with me, my friend?” Then he shrugged, not appearing the least bit concerned if Nicolo was upset with him. “It’s not my fault those peasants attacked.”

“You were passed out in a bar when you should have been passed out in your bed.”

“Oh, Nicolo, there you go again with your dramatic flair for exaggeration.” He gave Nicolo a smile. “I was not passed out.”

“It was a fine line.”

“Consciousness is not a fine line. It’s a yes or no.”

Nicolo rocked his head from side to side. “You always manage to turn it into a gray area.”

“No harm done.”

Nicolo narrowed his eyes at the prince. “Martex is dead.”

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